Casa ‘La Paz’ Workshop at Tree of Life Nursery

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Along with our special guests for the day, the Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy, we present the following scheduled events, free to the public:

Over 110 species of birds have been documented at Tree of Life Nursery.  Come with some binoculars and set out with Laura Cohen and Laura Camp to spot some of our winged friends.  We will hope to see recently-returned migrants White-crowned sparrow, Dark-eyed junco, Yellow-rumped warbler and Ruby-crowned kinglet as well as resident nuthatches, woodpeckers, flickers, finches, hummingbirds, etc.

Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the operation of Tree of Life Nursery.  You will be led through the propagation and transplanting areas of our nursery (usually closed to the public!).   Come and learn about how We Grow™.

Famous for their red-barked twisting branches, Manzanita is the common name for a wide variety of white to pink-flowering shrubs with small fruits that look like “little apples”, (Spanish: manzana = apple).  Familiar to horticulturalists as the genus Arctostaphylos, this group of California native plants can take many forms, from low growing carpets of groundcover to gloriously blooming trees.  

Co-owners Mike Evans and Jeff Bohn will cover the Manzanita basics.  They will discuss the particular growing habits and horticultural requirements of at least three specific varieties of Manzanita: a groundcover, a mid-sized shrub and a large manzanita.  Through each of these example varieties they will describe the optimal planting medium, conditions and watering habits for each type of Manzanita.  They will also specify important design elements and will also highlight the habitat value Manzanita can add to an authentic California Garden.  We hope that you will be able to join us for this informative class to learn the essentials for success when planting this lovely plant.

Learn more about the Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy (TDOLC) as you shop for native plants during optimal planting season.  TDOLC will provide information about their organization all day at a table; stop by their display to receive a free wildflower seed packet!

See you November 18^th!  Stay tuned for Next Month’s Workshop: “Wreath Making with Native Plants”.